Service improvements

Sheffield City Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2027

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Sheffield City Council as a CSV file.

  • Sheffield City Council (24 019 828)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 21-Nov-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with a staying put arrangement. The Council was at fault for failing to explain the financial aspect of the staying put arrangement, poor communication and delaying in making payments. This caused Ms X distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Ms X and make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    Young people who were previously looked after children can remain with their former foster carers after their eighteenth birthday under a staying put arrangement. Councils have a duty to monitor these arrangements and to provide assistance and support, including financial support. These duties continue until the young person is 21. The Council agreed to review the current staying put policy to consider adding that all decisions made about an agreement should be confirmed to all concerned in writing.

  • Sheffield City Council (24 017 244)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 30-Nov-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with the care of her children. The Council was at fault for the Investigating Officer failing to consider information when they said they would, failing to clarify at stage three of the complaint procedure its view on whether it could investigate human rights matters, delaying in completing the complaint procedure and delaying in completing some of the agreed remedies. This caused Ms X and her children distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Ms X and the children, and send us an action plan on how it will improve complaint handling times.

    Service improvements

    Provide evidence that it has published two information leaflets which provide information on the care process.The Council will provide us with an action plan on how it will improve complaint handling times.

  • Sheffield City Council (24 002 665)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 18-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained that Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust failed to address the impact of their failings during a child safeguarding enquiry. We are satisfied the Council and the Trust have now proposed appropriate and proportionate action to resolve the complaint. Because of this, we will not investigate Ms X’s complaint.

    Service improvements

    During our assessment the Council accepted that it should have investigated this complaint jointly with an NHS Trust. The Council said its complaints manager would review the Council's protocols for joint complaint handling with a view to ensuring that future opportunities for joint working are not missed.

  • Sheffield City Council (22 013 386)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 06-Jul-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to investigate his complaints - about the Child in Need plan and the social worker appointed to his children - under the children’s statutory complaint process. The Council is at fault for failing to investigate the concerns under the correct complaints process. The Council will apologise, carry out an investigation under the statutory complaint process and take action to prevent reoccurrence.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind staff of the complaint process and procedures.

  • Sheffield City Council (21 007 520)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 29-Jun-2022

    Summary

    Mr S complains the Council did not suitably consider his concerns about the care his daughter was receiving when in care. Mr S complains the Council did not recognise the impact of the issues he raised. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to consider suitable recommendations during the stage three review. This caused Mr S and Child P significant injustice and meant the Council did not fully address Mr S’s concerns. The Council has agreed a financial remedy and service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review how stage three investigations make recommendations at the end of the investigation. The Council should review how it will address parts complaints that are upheld and ensure there are actions to ensure these are addressed.The Council has also agreed to share the final decision with the stage three panel.The Council has agreed to review whether further visits were recorded that did not take place, and audit other cases where the social worker may have populated visits. If the Council finds that other visits were recorded, it should consider whether a referral to the appropriate regulatory body is necessary. The Council should tell the Ombudsman of the result of this audit.The Council has agreed to review how and when it communicates with parents about health concerns and developments for children, and consider providing further training to staff in this area.

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